Alt Corner #5: Shouting Signals

It seems to me that the lack of alternative music covered on this site is depressingly thin. Having grown up in a rock-loving community, where small alternative bands have thrived for years, this depresses me. And so, Alt. Corner is born. Every week I’ll be recommending an alternative rock band for you to listen to, ranging from colossuses of the underground scene to unsigned groups who are destined for something bigger. This week, I’ll be looking at…

Shouting Signals

Essex’s Shouting Signals have got a big future ahead of them. Within the space of two years they’ve built themselves up, recorded a smashing debut EP and recently supported Kids in Glass Houses in Hatfield as part of their promotional tour for the latest release ‘Peace’. They also have a string of London shows under their belts and a rapidly growing fan base. Not bad for band that have only officially released five songs, right?

The ‘Stand Your Ground’ EP boasts an impressive collection of engaging and varied songs. The quartet has managed to do something that many new bands fail to do with their first release – hit the ground running. Their sound is already one of a fully-fledged group, aided by some inventive yet accessible musicianship and some slick, professional-level production courtesy of Ben Humphreys and John Mitchell, who have also worked with the likes of Architects, You Me at Six and Funeral for a Friend.

Lead single ‘The Penitence’ is a storming anthem that cuts all the crap and dives straight in to what makes Shouting Signals so appealing: soaring vocals, big riffs and even bigger choruses. The interchange of growls and clean vocals in the chorus here – not something that is common to the whole record – gives this track some real bite and signifies ‘The Penitence’ as the heaviest song on the EP, and one worthy of being the world’s first introduction to this group. The standout song, however, is a certain ‘Breathe In, Breathe Out’. It falls on the lighter side of the alternative rock spectrum, reminiscent of early Paramore in the guitars and the more upbeat chorus, but nonetheless it packs a sizable punch.

And overall, that’s what the ‘Stand Your Ground’ EP is all about. Impact. It’s Shouting Signals’ mission statement, a demonstration of intent. They’re on the rise, quicker than you’d maybe expect of a band so relatively new, and you can expect to hear a lot more from them in the future. Supporting Kids in Glass Houses, as huge a thing as it may sound, is just a beginning for these boys.